Mapping Research in Gender and Digital Technology
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MAPPING RESEARCH IN GENDER AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY january 2018 Authors Main editor Anri van der Spuy Namita Aavriti Namita Aavriti Copy editing and proofreading Additional inputs Lori Nordstrom (APC) Chenai Chair Nitya V Dafne Sabanes Plou Kaitlyn Wauthier Publication production Radhika Gajjala Cathy Chen (APC) Smita Vanniyar Yara Sallam Cover collage Flavia Fascendini Additional contributions to the GenderIT.org edition: Mapping gaps Infographic visuals in research in gender and information society Cathy Chen (APC) Carmen Alcazar Elena Pavan Ghadeer Ahmed Kerieva McCormick Layout and design Koliwe Majama Monocromo Maria Florencia Alcaraz Neo Musangi Mapping research in gender and digital technology Smita Patil Published by APC 2017 Peer reviewers Jac sm Kee Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- Katerina Fialova ShareAlike 3.0 license Ruhiya Seward ISBN 978-92-95102-98-9 APC-201801-APC-R-EN-DIGITAL-288 Reviewers at Expert Group Meeting Anonymous (Middle East North Africa) Becky Faith Bruna Zanolli Caitlin Bentley Catalina Alzate Chenai Chair Elena Pavan Horacio F. Sívori Jennifer Radloff Jinnie Chae Kalyani Menon-Sen Mariana Giorgetti Valente Matthew Smith Patricia Peña Ruth Nyambura Kilonzo Safa Khan Tigist Shewarega Hussen This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of IDRC or its Board of Governors. International Development Research Centre Centre de recherches pour le développement international Standards for use of the IDRC logo and Canada wordmark October 2014 This research is part of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) project “Mapping gender and digital technology”, funded by the International Development Research Centre. Between January 2017 and November 2017, APC carried out a mapping study of the research in gender and digital technology taking place in or concerning middle and low-income countries in the last decade (2006-2017). The study focuses on information and communications technologies and the internet in particular but broadly encompasses digital technology and its impact on gender. This publication is the fnal output of that research project. The objective is to map knowledge production in the feld of gender and digital technology and support gender inclusion in the IDRC Networked Economies programme. To read more on this subject and the project, please visit www.GenderIT.org. Corollary material in the form of an edition of articles mapping gaps in research in gender and digital technology is published online at www.genderit.org/node/5003/ OUTLINE OF MAPPING STUDY Introduction, limitations and methods: Mapping research in gender and digital technology Anri van der Spuy, Namita Aavriti Mapping trends and issues: literature review Anri van der Spuy Mapping challenges, gaps, priorities and emerging areas: interviews with key actors Namita Aavriti Conclusion: Summary of research recommendations from literature review and interviews Namita Aavriti Appendices Chenai Chair Kaitlyn Wauthier Katerina Fialova Radhika Gajjala Smita Vanniyar TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 7 INTRODUCTION, METHOD AND LIMITATIONS 10 INTRODUCTION 11 CONTEXT OF MAPPING STUDY 11 METHODS AND LIMITATIONS 17 Methodology of literature review 18 Methodology of the interviews 18 Methodology of expert group meeting: 21 Limitations of the mapping study 22 STRUCTURE OF MAPPING STUDY (THEMES) 23 MAPPING TRENDS AND ISSUES: LITERATURE REVIEW 26 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 27 ACCESS 28 What is meant by “access”? 28 How are barriers to access perceived in the literature? 29 A summary of three barriers to access and related research needs 31 Lack of public data available on access 33 Summary of research recommendations 4 ECONOMY AND LABOUR 35 Gendered labour 35 Women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) 37 Summary of research recommendations 37 EMBODIMENT 38 Online violence 38 EXPRESSION AS A CROSS-CUTTING THEME 42 Privacy, data governance and surveillance 43 Summary of research recommendations 46 MOVEMENTS, WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION AND DECISION MAKING 47 Movements and campaigns online 47 Participation in policy reform and policy making 48 Summary of research recommendations 49 MAPPING CHALLENGES, GAPS, PRIORITIES AND EMERGING AREAS: INTERVIEWS WITH KEY ACTORS 54 INTRODUCTION 55 ACCESS 55 Meaningful and substantial access 56 Barriers to access 58 Cultural and social barriers 60 Availability of sex- or gender-disaggregated data 61 Education 61 Disability and access 62 Summary of research recommendations from interviews 63 ECONOMY AND LABOUR 64 Gendered labour and empowerment 64 Gendered labour in technology spaces 66 Free/libre and open source software movements and gender 68 Work cultures in technology spaces 69 Summary of research recommendations from interviews 70 EMBODIMENT 70 Online gender-based violence 71 Datafcation and the body 79 EXPRESSION AS A CROSS-CUTTING THEME 82 Summary of research recommendations based on interviews 87 MOVEMENT BUILDING 87 Resistance 88 Movements, security and the role of ICTs 91 Summary of research recommendations based on interviews 93 RESEARCH NETWORKS 93 Models of research networks 94 Location: Academia or civil society 94 Gender analysis and feminism 95 Informality, funding, participation: Limitations within research networks 96 CONCLUSION 98 APPENDICES 107 APPENDIX 1: RESEARCH ACTORS RELEVANT TO GENDER AND ICTs 107 APPENDIX 2: SCOPING SURVEY ON MAPPING GENDER IN ICTs 134 APPENDIX 3: INTERVIEW GUIDELINES BASED ON THEMATIC AREAS 136 APPENDIX 4: PARTICIPANTS IN EXPERT GROUP MEETING ON GENDER AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY 138 APPENDIX 5: RESEARCH NETWORK PROFILES 139 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS A4AI Alliance for Affordable Internet APC Association for Progressive Communications APC WNSP Association for Progressive Communications Women’s Networking Support Programme APC WRP Association for Progressive Communications Women’s Rights Programme Apps Applications Broadband Commission United Nations Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women DDoS Distributed Denial of Service DDoW Distributed Denial of Women EROTICS Exploratory Research on Sexuality and the Internet ESCR Economic, social and cultural rights Fintech Financial technology i.e. computer programs and other technology used to support or enable banking and fnancial services FLOSS Free/libre and open source software GBV Gender-based violence GEM Gender evaluation methodology ICT Information and communications technology ICT4D Information and communications technology for development IDRC International Development Research Centre IDS Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton IGF BPF Internet Governance Forum Best Practice Forum IGO Intergovernmental organisation Isis Isis International ITU International Telecommunication Union LDC Least developed country LGBTI Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people MENA Middle East and North Africa MOOC Massive open online course NCII Non-consensual sharing of intimate images NGO Non-governmental organisation SDGs Sustainable Development Goals (UN) SR Special Rapporteur STEM Science, technology, engineering and mathematics UN United Nations UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNDESA United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientifc and Cultural Organization UNGA United Nations General Assembly UNHRC United Nations Human Rights Council USAF Universal Service and Access Fund USAID United States Agency for International Development VAW Violence against women WSIS World Summit on the Information Society Mapping research in gender and digital technology 7 Mapping research in gender and digital technology 9 Introduction, method and limitations INTRODUCTION This study maps research and knowledge production in the feld of gender and digital technology, with the intention of bringing to the surface trends, gaps, emerging areas and critical questions in the feld. The Women’s Rights Programme in the Association for Progressive Communication (APC WRP) places itself within the trajectory of the women’s movement and of engaging with and within the movement on issues of digital technology and information and communications technologies (ICTs). In particular APC WRP has worked intensely to drive more attention, advocacy and policy reform towards online gender-based violence, but has sought to expand both towards a wider framing of the various issues involved through formulations of the Feminist Principles of the Internet, and research on parallel emerging issues in big data, surveillance, labour and other felds related to gender. This study is meant to map: • Trends, issues and changing contexts that emerge through the literature review • Key issues, challenges, gaps, priorities and emerging areas, while providing a brief overview of the key actors/initiatives contributing to the work in the sub/regions • The value of research networks in this feld, what would contribute to their success or impact, and key challenges faced. One of the initial objectives of the mapping study was also for the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, to examine their funding initiatives and programming. IDRC insists on the inclusion of gender analysis in all their funded projects, but this is not the same as ensuring and pushing for a feminist analysis that lays bare power dynamics and